In Hong Kong, students have lessons in traditional class and follow instructions given by the teacher, Usually talking and moving around is forbidden, their focus is to prepare the students to sit for the pubic examinations. Therefore it makes us feel that teacher target to spoon fed the whole syllabus to students and students are to memorize textbooks for the exams. Actually, the situation has been improved by increasing the amount of projects which require more discussion time.
In America, the students have a wider range of extra curricular activities provided for them to choose than in Hong Kong. In addition to what we have in Hong Kong, they also have skiing, canoeing, fishing, golf and water polo. We all agree that their after school activities are more entertaining and preferable. However we understand that the main reason behind for the difference is geographical restrain in Hong Kong. The large landscape in America provides large school campus with more facilities sports centre. In Hong Kong, it is more confine to indoor activities which provides less choice. The large landscape in America also allows them to have more foreign travel, either for learning and generally study or exploration and adventure of a more physically demanding nature.
I feel that the students under these two different ways of teaching are totally different in the sense of expressing themselves. For American students, they have more confidence in presentations and their discussion skills are comparatively better in a more organize and expressive way. However, most Hong Kong students find it difficult to produce a fluent speech. Their discussion skills are not developed naturally but again by learning through memorizing teachers’ notes and follow the guidelines step by step.
American students seem to have more interest in scientific investigation. What makes us feel like that is because the students are more self-motivated to raise questions in class and are not afraid of making guess on problems. They wouldn’t find it embarrass to make a wrong answer. While in Hong Kong, the students rely on the teacher to give out questions and even not willing to make their own guess before knowing the answer, they find it more preferable to memorize the answer given by the teacher
After all, it’s difficult for us to compare which system is better. As it all depends on the student himself. If the student is responsible and self-motivated, the parents would be confident enough to send him to America. While for those who are more dependent or shy to speak in the public would cope with the Hong Kong system better.
